When you break any of the bones in your feet, they can start rebuilding immediately after your doctor performs foot surgery to reposition them or stabilize them into place. Otherwise, they can result in either a delayed union or nonunion, the former means delayed healing and the latter not healing at all. Delayed unions happen when your bones take a longer time to heal than usual.
You can still make a full recovery, albeit there can be complications, depending on how well your bone was set. In the case of a nonunion, the fracture remains as it is, and the symptoms such as pain, limping, swelling, and tenderness tends to worsen over time.
In most cases, though, patients can make a full recovery, although there can also be complications, depending on how well the bone was set. When there is a fracture, that means that the bones have separated. A partial fracture means that some of the bone is still connected, whereas a total fracture implies a complete split. In most cases, the doctor will set the bone so that the two sides can connect and heal. Stability - if the bones are misaligned, then they will connect unevenly.
If that happens, it could impact the structural integrity of the tissue and lead to more pain and suffering. Blood Supply - your bones heal thanks to the components of your blood.
In some cases, even with the right treatment, your bones may not heal properly. Your physician at Urgently Ortho reviews your medical history, physically examines the painful area, and conducts imaging tests to diagnose your condition.
The first line of defense when you have a stress fracture is using the RICE method to help heal it: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Over-the-counter pain relievers also help reduce pain and inflammation. Your Urgently Ortho physician determines whether you need a cast to hold the bones in place during the healing process. Your doctor may prescribe a walking boot to reduce stress on the affected area, or you may need crutches if your physician wants you to avoid weight-bearing for a period of time.
She may also recommend custom orthotics to provide extra support to the injured area and your entire foot. Contact Urgently Ortho right away if you believe you have a stress fracture and for any orthopedic need. In such cases, the second toe next to the big toe is the most likely to fracture. Any of the bones of the lower leg, ankle and foot can experience a stress fracture. The most commonly affected bones are:. Anatomical drawing of the foot, showing the metatarsal and navicular bones.
Illustration by Joseph Yu, BS. The key symptom of a stress fracture is pain. Depending on the bone affected, it tends to hurt in very specific, pinpoint areas, and it will hurt when you touch the exact area where the bone is broken.
If you have recently changed or increased your activity and have pain in a specific area of the foot or ankle, you may have a stress fracture. The pain usually becomes more intense when you do impact activities and gets better during periods of rest. If you think you may have a stress fracture in your foot or ankle, the most important thing to do is to immediately stop all activities that cause pain. If an untreated stress fracture worsens gets bigger , you will start feeling the pain more quickly during activity that puts stress on the affected bones than when the stress fracture first appeared.
If your pain continues after several days of rest or if your pain goes away but then returns even after several weeks of rest, you should see an orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon also called an "orthopedist" or "orthopaedist". Your doctor will first ask you questions about your pain and level of activity to evaluate you for the risk factors discussed above.
Next, he or she will examine you and order X-rays for the area where you experience pain. When a stress fracture is present, it is actually not uncommon for the X-rays to appear normal and show no break in the bone. This is because sometimes the bone reacts and grows new bone to heal the crack.
However, the injured bone is still vulnerable to being rebroken. When new bone grows, the final step is for it to calcify. A radiologist or orthopedist often confirms the stress fracture diagnosis by seeing the calcification of new bone growth on your X-ray. In certain cases your doctor may order a bone scan or MRI to provide more information than does a standard X-ray. However, these more expensive tests are not routinely needed to diagnose a stress fracture. Most stress fractures will heal on their own if you reduce your level of activity and wear protective footwear for a period of time.
As mentioned above, the most important thing to do if you have or think you may have a stress fracture in your foot or ankle, is to cease the activity that caused your problem in the first place. You should stop all high-impact activity for a time, typically for about six weeks. Icing and elevating the affected leg immediately following a stress fracture can help decrease swelling and pain.
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